Flash from the past
by PrincessTiva
Summary: When someone from Ali's past comes back into her life, how will it affect her relationship with friends, boyfriend and family? And what if that particular person is posing as her boyfriend on an undercover mission? Alison Series. Tiva.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Helloooooo! :)  
First of all: Thank you so so much for your wonderful feedback for both "A NYC Christmas" and "LA Crisis"! It means a lot! I definitely appreciate all your support and love for the Alison series :) Someone told me a couple days ago that Ali was like her best friend because she never really had a best friend. And that Ali was an inspiration for her and she held a special place in her heart. It touched me deeply. I would've never thought you would actually enjoy it that much when I uploaded the first Ali story about half a year ago. It's incredible. Thank you so much!  
And now: You asked for it, you got it! Here's the next story in the Alison Series :)) I really hope you enjoy it as much as the previous Ali stories. :)  
Summary: When someone from Ali's past comes back into her life, how will it affect her relationship with friends, boyfriend and family? And what if that particular person is posing as her boyfriend on an undercover mission? Alison Series. Tiva.  
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or any of it's characters...obviously. lol :D I do however own Alison and all the other characters I invented :D HA! *victory dance* :P  
shout-out to Ruth for the "advice" lol :D love you, girl x3  
ENJOY READING! :)  
**

* * *

"Then call Alison for God's sake!", Gibbs ordered. Ziva's eyes widened and she exchanged a glance with Tony before speaking up: "Gibbs, she's only 16." The boss turned around and looked at her.

As he gave her the infamous stare she immediately grabbed Tony's hand for support. "Yeah, I know.", Gibbs said. "Um, boss, Ziva was just..", Tony tried but Gibbs cut him off: "DiNozzo, call Alison. Didn't we just discuss that we need a couple aged between 15 and 18?!"

Tony looked like he was about to say something else but Gibbs spoke again: "Call her! I'm gonna go call Tobias and see if he can find someone working for the FBI."

"You want someone to pose as Alison's boyfriend?", Ziva demanded. Gibbs simply nodded. "Ali won't be very happy. You know she has a boyfriend.", Tony said carefully.

"Yeah, so what?! We need someone who is trained for an undercover mission like this. Ali is trained but her boyfriend isn't so I'm gonna call the FBI. They're in this together with NCIS.", the boss declared.

He walked out of the room, leaving Tony and Ziva behind. Tony sighed and whispered: "Don't kill me, Zi. But I'm gonna call Ali now." Ziva swallowed hard but nodded. She knew that there was no way to get out of this.

* * *

Two hours later Ali was sitting in the Director's office with Gibbs, McGee, Tony and Ziva as well as Tobias Fornell, FBI Agent. "Miss David, I need you to realize how dangerous and how important this mission is.", the director said.

Ali nodded: "Yes, sir. I get it." Ali had received a call from Tony about two hours ago and he had told her that the director and Gibbs needed her for an undercover mission.

All she knew was that the mission was related to a current case that was concerning NCIS and FBI. Vance had told her that she wasn't allowed to contact her boyfriend Andrew or her best friend Ashley.

Speaking of a perfect and relaxing summer break. Alison's thoughts were interrupted when the door to the office opened and a tall, really good looking guy walked in.

He was about her age and had light brown hair. The guy was dressed in jeans, a regular t-shirt and a leather jacket. Fornell got up and walked towards the guy, shaking his hand.

He then turned around to face the group. "This is Frederick Lawrence. He's my nephew and he's going to be Alison's partner for this undercover mission.", Fornell introduced the guy.

Ali couldn't really help the grin forming on her face. It wasn't just the fact that he was quite cute but her gut feeling had been right. She knew this guy.

Slowly she got up and walked towards him, coming to a stop right in front of him. He was a little taller than she was but she managed to look straight into his eyes thanks to her high heels.

"Freddie?", she questioned, the grin now spreading across her face. His eyes lit up as he recognized her. "God, Ali! Is that really you?", he asked, grinning as well.

She nodded and he almost swept her off her feet as he hugged her close, twirling her around. She started laughing like a little girl would and as he finally put her down again she was still grinning.

"It has been years! I didn't even know your uncle was working for the FBI.", Ali declared. "And I didn't know you were living in the United States now. This is awesome. I missed you, Ali.", Freddie said.

They were completely oblivious to their surroundings. He pulled her close once again and whispered in her ear: "You could have called." Ali looked up at him and almost melted when she met his eyes.

Just when she was about to reply Tony cleared his throat bringing them back to reality. "Care to explain?", he questioned, smirking. Ali and Freddie turned around, his arm still loosely wrapped around her waist.

Usually she would have freaked at this kind of contact but it was different with Freddie. She looked straight into Ziva's eyes, expecting her aunt to recognize him but she didn't seem to be able to put the pieces together.

"Ziva, don't you remember Freddie?", Ali questioned, still grinning. Freddie chuckled: "Ali, how is she supposed to remember me? It's been years. Even longer than the last time I saw you."

Ali slapped him on the arm playfully before focusing her gaze on Ziva again. "Sweetie, I'm sorry but I have no idea.", her aunt apologized. Ali sighed but explained anyways: "Freddie and I met in kindergarten, we went to school together and everything. Don't you remember?"

Suddenly Ziva's eyes widened and she got up and walked over to Freddie and Ali. "Seriously? God, I didn't recognize you. How long has it been? Eight years?", Ziva exclaimed.

Freddie laughed and nodded: "Yeah, I guess it was about eight years. You left after your sister's death." "When did you leave Israel?", Ziva asked. "It was about four years ago.", he replied.

Ali lowered her gaze to the floor. After Freddie had left she'd been all on her own. He knew about most things that happened but they hadn't been in contact after he had to leave.

"Ali came to the US about a year ago.", Ziva declared but when she noticed her niece's reaction to the topic she quickly decided to drop it. "Well, Freddie, it's great to see you again. But I have to say I didn't know your uncle was Tobias Fornell either.", Ziva laughed.

Freddie chuckled, trying to cover up his concern for Ali. The adults didn't need to know everything. He tightened his grip on Ali, letting her know that he was there for her.

She immediately looked up and met his eyes, a smile forming on her face. "Freddie, may I introduce you to..my family?!", she eventually said. "This is Special Agent Tony DiNozzo, NCIS. He's Ziva's..fiance and my legal guardian.", she started and Freddie shook Tony's hand, smiling widely.

Ali continued with McGee: "Special Agent Tim McGee, kinda my uncle." "And this is Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, he's like a..grandpa to me.", Ali told Freddie.

She almost stumbled over the word "grandpa" and Freddie noticed this. He made a mental note to ask her about what had happened after he left later. Ali finished her talk by introducing Director Vance.

When she was done Fornell spoke up: "Alison, Frederick, we are now going to introduce you to your undercover mission." They both nodded and McGee pressed a key on the computer's keyboard.

Vance, Fornell and Gibbs showed them pictures of the suspects, explaining their backgrounds and their relation to the case. They also explained their cover story in detail. Finally Gibbs handed Ali a set of keys.

"Those are the keys to your house.", he said. Ali raised an eyebrow. "Our house?!", she questioned. "The FBI and NCIS are looking for those people because their targets usually are teenage couples whose parents are Marines. When the parents are on a mission they break into the houses and kidnap the kids. Then they blackmail the parents.", Vance explained.

"So, let me get this straight, Ali and I are gonna pose as a couple?", Freddie asked carefully. Fornell nodded: "Yes, that's correct. I think you'll manage just fine."

Ali looked up and smiled at Freddie. There were worse partners to be stuck with on a mission like this. She was actually looking forward to their time undercover.

"You are not allowed to contact anyone except NCIS or FBI. We'll have video cameras in your house but no microphones. The suspects will probably watch you as well but they can't hear what you're saying because we managed to find a special house.", Fornell went on.

"It's important that you understand this. No contact with friends or anyone.", Vance underlined the previous statement. Freddie nodded and so did Ali. As if she would contact Andrew while working undercover with another guy.

When she felt Freddie's arm still wrapped around her she suddenly knew that this was dangerous territory. But who cared? Maybe old love didn't fade away after all.

"We already got you everything you'll need. There's food in the house and we got you clothes and stuff. Your mission starts now. We got a special car for you, it's the red key. We expect you to call us tonight for the first update.", Vance said.

Ali and Freddie nodded, said their goodbyes and headed for the parking garage to get their car. This was gonna be an interesting undercover mission.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks so much for reading! :) I hope you like it! Please leave a review on your way out, letting me know what you think so far. I really love hearing your thoughts. You guys are my inspiration! :) xx  
I'll try to update asap :)  
Love y'all  
~ C.  
P.S. Happy Inauguration Day! Did y'all watch it? Obama's address was incredible, wasn't it?! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello everyone :) Sorry that it took almost a week again but I was busy :( School sucks lol  
Anyway, here's the chapter. Enjoy! :)  
**

* * *

"Fiance?", Gibbs asked as soon as the door had closed behind Ali and Freddie. This was definitely not what anyone in the room had been expecting. Tony closed his eyes and silently cursed.

It must have been a slip of the tongue. Ali surely wouldn't have said it on purpose. They were now engaged for about half a year and they still hadn't told the team.

Sure, they had meant to tell them. Actually right after coming back from New York. But then there had been a new case and Gibbs had been very annoyed by everything and everyone and it just didn't seem like the right time.

After that they'd always tried to find the right moment but they'd failed miserably. After all the team would have been mad at them for not telling them sooner.

So, now here they were. And not only had McGee and Gibbs found out but also Director Vance and Fornell. This was gonna be a wonderful conversation. Ziva sighed and slowly pulled her engagement ring from her pocket.

It was just not safe to have it on when she was out in the field or handling a gun for that matter. And to be honest, if she wasn't wearing it, at least nobody would get suspicious.

She slipped the ring on her finger where it belonged. Then she faced Gibbs. "Look, we meant to tell you. It was just..never the right time.", she tried to talk her way out of it.

She prayed to God that nobody would question the time. But of course with Gibbs in the room, her hopes were crushed. "When?", Gibbs demanded, clearly referring to the engagement, not when they were gonna tell him.

Tony looked down and Ziva wasn't able to face Gibbs either. She grabbed Tony's hand for support and intertwined their fingers. He squeezed her hand. "January 2.", Tony mumbled.

"What was that?", Vance now cut in. Ziva was annoyed. Vance had nothing to do with this. Seriously, nothing. It wasn't against any agency policies after all. This was a thing between them and Gibbs and of course the team.

He had no right to cut in. "January 2. When we were in New York.", Ziva repeated, a little louder than Tony. It was silent for a while and it definitely wasn't comfortable silence.

Finally Fornell cleared his throat, clearing the air. "That was half a year ago.", McGee murmured, more to himself than to anyone in the room. Tony almost stepped forward to head-slap McGee.

What the hell was he thinking? Sure, it _had_ been half a year but there was no need to point it out. Really not. "Thanks Probie.", he mouthed in McGee's direction but he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Care to explain, DiNozzo?", Gibbs asked again. Tony swallowed hard. "Boss, we were just..it..", he stuttered. How the hell was he supposed to explain it? It wasn't like there even _was_ any explanation for this.

Why couldn't someone just burst into the room and save their ass? As if his prayers had been heard, the door suddenly burst open and Abby ran in. "Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!", she exclaimed.

When nobody even looked at her she walked over to Gibbs and stood right in front of him, forcing him to pay attention to her. "I thought you wanted the videos of the house. Why are you not downstairs?", she demanded.

McGee placed a hand on her arm and whispered something in her ear. Her eyes widened and she stared at McGee. "Are you kidding me?!", she asked in a hushed voice.

He shook his head and Abby immediately took a few steps towards Ziva and Tony. Oh great, this was getting better by the second. "Show me.", she demanded.

"What?", Ziva asked confused. "The ring, duh!", Abby said. Ziva's mouth curled up in a sly smile. She lifted her right hand and Abby let out a soft gasp as she admired the ring. "Tony! It's beautiful!", Abby declared.

Tony and Ziva exchanged a smile. "Abbs, they haven't told us in half a year.", Gibbs cut in. Abby turned around, her pigtails swinging. "So what?", she questioned, clearly not understanding why Gibbs was making such a big deal out of this. "Half a year.", McGee repeated softly.

"I don't see what the problem is. You can't expect them to just walk up to you guys and say 'oh hey, just so you know, we're engaged now'. We're family. You do it in the right moment.", Abby explained calmly.

Everyone stared at her until finally Gibbs started to nod. "She's right.", he declared. "She is?!", Tony blurted out. That earned him a head-slap. Ziva chuckled next to him. Then Gibbs turned to her.

"Ziver, come with me.", he ordered. Ziva eyed him confused but of course complied and followed him out of the room. They quietly walked over to the elevator and got in. When the elevator started moving, Gibbs flipped the emergency switch and faced Ziva.

"Are you happy?", he asked. It was a simple question. It was as simple as 1+1. Only Ziva couldn't really find words to form an answer. "I..yeah..I think I am.", she finally said.

He stepped closer to her. "Ziver, it's me. You don't have to hide anything from me, you know.", he said quietly. She looked down. How was she supposed to voice her thoughts without Gibbs understanding it the wrong way?

She was happy but it was..difficult. She was still scared. But this was _Gibbs_. She trusted this man with her life and he was more of a father than her own was ever capable of being.

She slowly looked up into his eyes. "I'm scared.", she whispered. His features softened. He had hoped that she'd finally admit it. He stepped closer to her and pulled her into his arms.

She relaxed and took a couple deep breathes. "It's okay, kid. I got you.", he whispered in her ear. She smiled into his shoulder and then slowly pulled away. "It's not because of Tony, you know. It's just..", she started but he cut her off: "No need to explain."

She shot him a grateful smile but continued anyways, she needed to get it off her chest: "When Ali was in the hospital in fall we talked about it. I told him that I was scared of marriage and then for almost half a year none of us brought the topic back up. But sometime in late November I started to realize that I actually _wanted_ that something permanent with Tony. I wanted the commitment, the real deal. When we were in New York apparently Tony and Ali planned the whole thing and then suddenly we were in Central Park and he had purchased a bench for me and had it engraved and then he proposed. It was perfect and I've never been happier."

"But now you're having doubts?", Gibbs assumed. She nodded, blushing slightly. It was embarrassing. No normal person would be scared of marriage. But then again, what she'd been through could _not _be considered normal.

"I'm happy that we're engaged. Really happy actually. Every time we go somewhere people notice the ring and _know_ that it's serious and that's a wonderful feeling. I would love to actually marry him but I'm scared that I'll run when the day comes. And I know that he wouldn't survive being left at the altar again.", she explained quietly.

Gibbs nodded, completely understanding where she was coming from. "Ziva, it's okay, I understand.", he assured her. She smiled at him. Then he continued: "The way you talk about it..you're ready, Ziva. I can see it in your eyes."

Ziva's eyes widened. Had he really just said that? But he was right..somehow. She _did_ feel better, _ready_ actually. "But what if I get scared and leave him at the altar due to some panic reaction?", she whispered.

Gibbs placed a hand on her shoulder, an oddly comforting gesture. "You won't. I'll make sure of it.", he promised. She felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Gibbs?", she whispered. "Yeah?", he replied.

"Will you walk me down the aisle?", she asked softly. A grin spread across his face, his eyes sparkling. "Of course, kid.", he said, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead and pulling her into a hug again.

She smiled into his shoulder and suddenly she was sure. She was ready.

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**A/N: Tadaaa :D I hope you like it ;) Pleaseeee leave a review on your way out, telling me what you think. I really do appreciate them! Suggestions are also always welcome :)  
I'll try to get the new chapter ready by tomorrow but I can't really promise since I have to write this essay for school..but I'll try. ;)  
Love y'all  
~ C.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey there :) I know this is a short chapter but anyway, I hope you like it :D Enjoy reading!**

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Ali looked out of the window. The car ride had been silent so far. Nobody had said a word since they'd left MTAC. Suddenly Freddie cleared his throat, making Ali look over to him.

"You know we have to be convincing, right?! There are video cameras. We have to act 24/7.", he stated. Ali raised an eyebrow. She knew that much. Why was he bringing it up?

"Yeah, I know.", she replied, slightly confused. "I was just saying.", he said quietly. His behavior was very weird and Ali had no idea what was wrong with him. This was very unusual.

But then again, she hadn't seen him in four years. "Do you have a boyfriend?", Freddie suddenly blurted out, totally taking Ali by surprise. What the hell? Why was he asking?

She just looked at him, trying to comprehend what he'd just asked. "I do.", she eventually whispered. "Oh.", Freddie breathed out. She touched his right hand that was currently resting on his knee but he pulled it away, bringing it back up to the steering-wheel.

"Freddie.", she tried but he didn't show any reaction. She sighed. Great. Just great. She'd totally screwed this up. "Look, I do have a boyfriend but I..I don't love him. It's complicated but I..I just..it's not right. It's not what I want, what I need.", she then blurted out.

She had _no _idea why she'd just told him but it was true. Lately she'd been questioning her feelings for Andrew a lot and she'd come to the conclusion that he just wasn't what she needed.

She needed a rock, maybe even someone she shared history with. "Don't say something you don't mean.", Freddie said bitterly. "No, I mean it! It's true.", she insisted.

"Then why are you still together?", he questioned. Ali bit her lip. That's where things got a little tricky. She had no idea how to break it to Andrew. She was scared of his reaction.

She didn't want to hurt him and she didn't want him to be angry either. "I didn't have the guts to tell him yet.", she admitted. Freddie looked over to her, then back on the road.

"You should though.", he murmured, more to himself than to Ali but of course she heard it anyway. They were silent again until they reached the street the house was supposed to be on.

"We should probably act like a couple the second we arrive.", Freddie said. Ali simply nodded. She was still a little speechless after the conversation they'd just had. Freddie pulled into the driveway of a beautiful house.

He parked the car and got out. Ali took a deep breath. This was it. It was do or die. And to be honest, she was willing to take her chances. She got out of the car and immediately walked over to Freddie who was standing next to the driver's side of the car, waiting for her.

She grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers, then stood on her tiptoes to press a feather light kiss to his lips. She couldn't really help the shiver that ran down her spine.

It was just a short and simple kiss but it was loaded with unspoken emotions and feelings that been bottled up for way too long. She pulled away and smiled at him and when he smiled back she could tell from the spark in his eyes that he'd felt it too.

She tugged at his hand and they walked over to the entrance. "I missed you.", Freddie suddenly whispered in her ear from behind her. Ali spun around and faced him.

"I missed you, too.", she whispered in his ear, then pressed a kiss right below his earlobe. He rested his forehead against hers and just looked into her eyes, millions of unnecessary words passing between them.

This was gonna be harder than Ali had thought. She needed to call Ziva and beg her to allow her to call Andrew. She needed to break up with him or else the guilt would haunt her.

But then again, right now she couldn't care less. She was happy, more happy than she'd been in a long time. She just had to be careful that she didn't fall head over heels in love with Freddie all over again.

She needed to be careful because she really couldn't take to get her heart broken again. She needed to make sure that he felt the same way and that he was here to stay.

And of course, she needed to make sure what exactly she actually felt. Well, she had some time to get her thoughts straight from now on.

And one thing was for sure: they'd definitely be convincing.

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**A/N: As always, thanks for reading :) I hope you like it :) Please leave me a short review, telling me what you think. I really appreciate all of your comments! :) I'm open for any suggestions as well :)  
Gonna go watch NCIS now lol :D Until next time :P  
Love y'all  
~ C.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey everyone! :) Sorry for the delay. School got in the way again :/  
Sooo, enjoy reading :)  
**

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Ali was sitting on the huge couch in the living room. Their cover house was plain perfect. Nothing could possibly be better. They had a huge bathroom that was definitely stolen from Buckingham Palace or something.

Ali was sure of that. The bedroom was quite big as well, the only problem seemed to be the king bed. Ali wasn't so sure if she could handle it. Not that she didn't trust Freddie.

Well, actually, she was a little nervous about it. For one, she wasn't sure if she was really ready to sell their act. It wasn't about Freddie, it was about her past. And then there was this other aspect.

She wasn't sure if she could handle being this close to Freddie without acting upon her real feelings. And she wasn't sure if he could be able to do so. Freddie was currently taking a shower, so she had some time to think.

It was difficult though. She seriously didn't know what to do. Andrew was still in the picture after all. It would be wrong to go behind his back like this. She needed to break things off with him first.

Otherwise she couldn't do it. But was she really ready to break up with Andrew? Or was this just a heat of the moment decision which she'd later regret?

"Honey, you wouldn't even notice if someone would break into the house with a gun right now.", Freddie's voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts. He had sneaked up behind her and immediately his arms went around her neck from behind, his hands rubbing her shoulders softly.

Ali bit her lip as to not sigh in contentment. She had always been so annoyed with Andrew whenever he'd called her 'Honey' but somehow it was different with Freddie.

She actually found herself liking it. A lot. And his arms wrapped around her shoulders was something she definitely could get used to as well. "I was just thinking. Can't blame me for that, now can you?!", Ali replied, giggling.

"Oh, you never know.", Freddie murmured, his mouth only inches from her skin. She could feel his breath on her neck and prayed to God he wouldn't notice the goosebumps that he caused.

Eventually he let go of her and walked around the couch, sitting down next to her. Very close next to her. "Aren't we supposed to call in at 7 to give them a first status update?", Freddie asked, facing her.

"Yeah. Wait, I'll get one of the burn phones.", she answered. Ali got up and walked over to the kitchen, opening one of the cabinets. She fished out a small burn phone.

They weren't supposed to use their real cell phones for the time of the assignment. They could get tracked after all. Ali walked back over to the couch and sat down, trying to get a little space between them.

Then she quickly dialed the number they had given them. Vance picked up after just two rings and said that they were on speaker so everyone in the room could hear.

"We arrived safely at the house. Nobody followed us and there haven't been any strange things going on so far.", Ali quickly summarized. What else was she supposed to tell them anyway?

Vance asked a couple more questions though but thankfully Freddie answered them. She really wasn't in the mood to talk to Vance, Fornell and the others right now.

She couldn't get the stupid thing with Freddie out of her mind. She was starting to play with the idea of getting one of their burn phones and calling Andrew to break up with him.

But wouldn't that be rude? Wasn't that something she needed to do in person? "Can I please talk to Ali in private for a sec?", Ziva's voice suddenly cut in. Ali was confused.

What did her aunt have to discuss that couldn't be discussed while the others were listening in? Ali grabbed the phone and walked over to the bathroom, not even looking at Freddie as she walked away.

There weren't any cameras in that room and she really appreciate that little place of privacy. "Are you alone?", Ziva asked once she'd closed the door behind her.

"Yeah. What's up?", Ali questioned. "Are you okay?", her aunt asked after a moment of silence. Ali swallowed hard but didn't exactly feel like blurting it all out. "I'm fine.", she lied.

God, "I'm fine" was probably the most told lie on earth. Nobody ever said they weren't fine. Everyone just said they were fine, even when they were clearly not.

Her aunt was one of those people who always claimed they were fine. Even after being held captive for four months by a freaking terrorist! Ali still couldn't believe it.

But then again, here she was, telling the exact same lie. Only this was different. It was only a complicated situation. Nothing life threatening. "You're not fine.", Ziva stated.

Okay, so that lie basically ran in the family and of course Ziva would notice. It really wasn't easy to lie to her. Ali sighed and then quietly admitted: "I might have a little problem."

She could hear her aunt sigh as well and could even picture her rubbing a hand over her face. "Freddie?", she simply asked. It was scary how easily her aunt could read her.

"Yeah.", Ali sighed. Then she quickly added: "He's not really the problem though. It's..Andrew." "You have feelings for Freddie and don't know how to handle Andrew.", Ziva assumed.

It wasn't a question, really not. "Still.", Ali whispered into the speaker. "Still what?", Ziva asked immediately. Of course her aunt would hear it. Was there anything Ziva wouldn't hear or notice?

Ali didn't think so. "Still have..feelings..for..Freddie.", she replied, hesitantly. "Ali.", her aunt said in a soft tone, "I wish I could hug you right now. I'm so sorry you have to go through this alone."

Ali smiled which of course Ziva couldn't see. "It's okay. Just please tell me what to do about Andrew.", she said. "I know it's hard but you should call him before it's too late, before things get out of hand.", Ziva told her.

"I know.", Ali sighed. But how the hell was she supposed to do it? "Maybe you should video call him. I know it's not the same as speaking in person but it's better than a simple call. And you need to do it as soon as possible.", Ziva advised, clearly being able to read Ali's thoughts.

Ali was silent. She really didn't know what to say. "I'll ask Gibbs if you're allowed to video call Andrew. You wanna do it tomorrow?", her aunt eventually suggested.

Ali nodded even though Ziva couldn't see it of course. "Thanks, Ziva.", she mumbled. "Anytime, Ali. Take care of yourself. Love you.", Ziva said. They said their goodbyes, then hung up.

Ali took a deep breath and then walked out into the living room again where Freddie was already waiting on the couch. He shot her his million watt smile and her heart skipped a beat.

_This_ was what it was supposed to feel like, right?! Easy, comfortable, not complicated and tense. Sure, she liked Andrew. A lot. And he'd almost always been good to her.

Except for that one time but that was basically her fault because she was damaged. At least that was what she constantly told herself. With Andrew there had always been secrets in the way, stories Ali wasn't ready _or even able_ to share.

But with Freddie, there weren't any secrets. He knew everything already and she trusted him with her life. They'd been through so much together and there wasn't a thing they didn't share about their life.

And that's what they called history, right?!

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**A/N: As always thank you for reading! :) I didn't get much feedback for the last chapter, so I'd really appreciate it if you left a quick note in that review box below. Your feedback is ALWAYS appreciated and VERY welcome! :) Thanks in advance!  
Next chapter should be up soon ;) (if you have any suggestions for the next one, just let me know via the reviews :D)  
Love y'all  
~ C.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Oh my God! I can't apologize enough for leaving you hanging this long :O I'm so so so so sorry! I didn't plan on doing this. I had so much to do for school and everything..I just couldn't find a single minute to write the next chapter. Now I'm finally done with my essay and everything and found time to write this. And GOD, did I miss writing!  
I really hope you're still interested in this. Pleaseeee everyone leave a review if you're still reading. It would be pointless to continue a fanfic that barely anyone is reading.  
Anyway, enjoy this chapter! :)**

* * *

The next day Ali woke up to Freddie gently touching her shoulder. "Good morning beautiful", he whispered to her. She blushed and prayed to God he didn't notice.

Why the hell was he calling her that anyway. It was just natural that she blushed, right?! She looked up at him and smiled. "Morning", she murmured. "Ziva called.

She said she wanted to talk to you.", he told her. Ali nodded and slowly got up. So, this was it. She was actually about to break up with Andrew. "Did you already have breakfast?", Ali asked as she made her way to the closet, picking out some clothes for the day.

"No, but I was just about to make us some pancakes. If you'd like.", Freddie suggested. She quickly spun around to look at him. "Are you kidding me? Of course!", she exclaimed.

He was offering to make her pancakes and actually asked if she wanted some? Seriously? Who didn't like pancakes? Freddie chuckled. "I'll be in the kitchen. Here's a burn phone so you can call Ziva.", he said, handing her one of the phones.

She thanked him and then headed for the bathroom. She got ready and then dialed Ziva's number. After just two rings her aunt picked up. "Special Agent Ziva David.", she announced herself.

Ali bit her lip. She loved how proud her aunt sounded whenever she said that. "It's Ali.", she quickly said. Since she was using a burn phone Ziva couldn't know. "Oh thank God!", her aunt exclaimed.

"Why? Is something wrong? I thought you just wanted to tell me the time I was gonna videoch..", Ali begun but Ziva cut her off: "He saw you." "What?", Ali asked confused.

She had absolutely no idea what her aunt was talking about. "He saw you.", Ziva repeated, a little calmer than before. "Yeah I heard that. But who is he? And what did he see?", Ali questioned, growing a little impatient.

Why was her aunt talking in circles? She heard Ziva take a deep breath before she started to explain: "Andrew showed up this morning. He was worried because you weren't answering your phone and he couldn't find you anywhere. He said you had a date this morning but you didn't show up."

Ali sat down on the toilet lid and ran one hand over her face. How could she have forgotten that freaking date? She should have at least had Ziva call Andrew. "I completely forgot about that.", Ali whispered.

"Yeah tell me about it.", her aunt sighed, before going on: "McGee brought him down to Abby's lab because that's where we were at that time. Unfortunately we were just going through the video material from yesterday, trying to see if there were any suspicious cars or anything when you arrived at the house."

"Oh my God!", Ali exclaimed. She remembered that moment all too well. The intertwined hands. The "I missed you"s. The kiss. And he had..seen? "Please tell me this is not happening.", Ali begged.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie. I know this isn't how you pictured this going but..", Ziva tried but Ali cut her off: "You're freaking right! This is entirely not the way I planned it. Nothing that happened in these two days is!"

She felt tears forming in her eyes. What the hell was she supposed to do now? "He freaked out, Ali. He said you were cheating on him.", Ziva said gently. "I need to talk to him, Ziva.", Ali replied.

She needed to get this straight. Explain. "He's at NCIS. I was actually ordered to get you here.", her aunt told her. Ali asked her what time she was supposed to be there.

"As soon as possible. Have Freddie drive you. Your cover is to go visit a buddy of his at the navy yard.", Ziva explained. "Alright. Got it. See you then.", Ali quickly said, then hung up.

She slammed the phone to the floor and broke it with her foot. Why the hell did this have to happen? Why couldn't it go smooth once? "Ali? Breakfast is ready.", Freddie cried from the kitchen.

Ali couldn't help the smile forming on her lips upon hearing his voice. "Coming!", she announced. She quickly checked her appearance in the mirror, then walked out of the bathroom and towards the kitchen.

* * *

"Pancakes à la Freddie for my beautiful princess.", Freddie announced with a smirk as Ali sat down in front of her plate. She rolled her eyes at him but secretly loved the way he'd addressed her.

"Wow, those are so good!", she exclaimed when she took the first bite. "Did anyone ever tell you not to talk while you're eating, Miss?", he questioned, laughing.

"Ahh, screw you!", she said, her eyes sparkling with laughter. "What did Ziva want?", he eventually asked. Ali sighed and dropped her knife and fork. She looked up and locked her eyes on his.

"My boyfriend saw us. Yesterday at the car.", she admitted quietly. His eyes widened when realization dawned on him. He reached across the table to place his hand over hers.

She really should have pulled away but she couldn't. It felt too good to let go. She needed this comfort right now. Not really comfort though. Reassurance was definitely a better word.

"I mean, I wanted to break up with him anyway..I just..", she tried to explain but her voice cracked. "Hey, it's okay. I get it.", Freddie whispered, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

She looked up to meet his eyes, not caring that he was now able to see the tears forming in her eyes. "What am I supposed to do?", she asked brokenly. He sighed and bowed his head.

He didn't really have an answer either. What was he supposed to tell her? That he was glad this happened? That he was glad she would finally be single? That was the truth. A truth he couldn't tell her.

Eventually he said: "Just talk to him. Tell him this is just a mission. He'll understand." Ali's eyebrow furrowed. Was he serious right now? Hadn't she made it clear that she wanted to break up with Andrew, not really fix it but rather explain it?

"I don't want him to understand.", she blurted out, biting her lip and silently cursing herself for saying that out loud. Freddie just stared at her. "You really wanna break up with him?", he asked carefully.

She nodded. "Are you sure, Ali? Because I..", he started but she cut him off: "What's your problem, Freddie? I wanna break up with him and you ask me if I'm sure? I told you yesterday that I wanted to do this. What's the big deal?"

Her voice was rising with every word she said and she jumped off her chair, letting go of his hand in the process. "I don't see what your problem is! Tell me, Freddie! What is the freaking problem when I wanna break up with my boyfriend when I don't even love him?", she shouted.

She turned her back to Freddie and tried to get her tears under control. She hated how her shoulders were beginning to shake because of her sobbing. It was a feeling she really didn't like.

"Hey", she felt Freddie's breath on her neck. He touched her shoulder, trying to spin her around to make her look at him. She eventually gave in and turned around.

The moment she did she saw the concern in his eyes and fresh tears started to roll down her cheeks. He pulled her to his chest and held her close, whispering sweet nothings into her ear to soothe her.

She buried her face in the crook of his neck, crying silently, her body shaking. When she eventually stopped crying he gently pushed her away, however, his hands didn't leave her upper arms.

"Look at me, Ali.", he demanded gently. She did and felt like crying again when she saw the look of concern and – what really scared her and made her heart skip a beat at the same time – love.

"I'm sorry for questioning your motives. I just..I just want you to be happy.", he admitted quietly, his eyes never leaving hers. She raised her hand and touched the side of his face gently.

"I know.", she whispered. Then she leaned over and pressed a lingering kiss to his cheek, her eyes closed. When she pulled away she smiled at him. "We better get going. We're visiting your friend at the Navy Yard, remember?", she said as she walked over to their room to get her purse.

"What's his name anyway, honey?", he cried after her, dragging out the word "honey". "It's your friend, not mine.", Ali teased as she walked past him towards the front door.

He chuckled and stared after her. "You comin' or what?!", Ali questioned over her shoulder. "Yes, Miss.", he laughed as he hurried after her to their car.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, there you have it :D the next chapter will obviously be about Andrew and Ali...in case you don't have any other wishes?! :D  
As I said at the beginning...PLEASE review to let me know how many people are actually still reading. I also really love to hear your thoughts on this :) Thank you in advance.  
Love y'all!  
~ C.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hey guys :) Sorry it took so long again. This week has been crazy! One of my best and closest friends got some really bad news and it completely caught me off guard. I didn't really find time to write. I hope you understand. If you'd like it would mean a lot if you would pray for my friend and if you don't pray, then maybe keep your fingers crossed. Thank you.**

Okay, now on with the story. I'm currently in a flow so hopefully the next chapter will be up tomorrow ;) Enjoy reading!  


* * *

"Where is he?", Ali demanded the second they walked into the bullpen. Freddie was – luckily – standing right behind her, his presence being oddly comforting.

Ziva looked at her niece with an apologetic look. "He's in the conference room.", she told Ali. Ali nodded and immediately made her way up the stairs. She wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

"Is she okay?", Ziva carefully asked once Ali had left. Freddie sighed. "I don't know. It's Ali after all. You never know what she's really thinking.", he replied.

Ziva just nodded and he felt the need to go further into detail: "She seemed to be okay to me. It's just not how she planned this to go I guess." Ziva's head shot up at that and she stared right into his eyes.

"She told you that she wanted to do this?", she questioned and Freddie nodded. "She told me yesterday in the car. She said she didn't love him and that she just didn't find the right time to tell him yet.", he explained.

Ziva seemed to be very surprised by that bit of news and he wondered if there was more to the story, something neither of the two were telling him.

"You should probably go upstairs. She'll need a friend when she exists that room.", Ziva eventually said and Freddie nodded his head, hurrying up the stairs.

Ziva just sat there. So, Ali had told him that she didn't love Andrew and that she wanted to break up with him. But how the hell had they even stumbled about that topic?

And had Ali also told him what she'd told her? Probably not. Ziva sighed. Sometimes that girl was really complicated. She got up and headed down to Abby's lab where Tony was at the moment.

She really needed to just see him right now, remind herself that she was past that complicated relationship status of hers. She just hoped her niece would find her way, too.

* * *

Ali took a deep breath as she walked into the conference room. The moment she entered Andrew got up from his chair and walked to stand in front of her.

"What the hell is going on Ali?", he demanded. She closed her eyes and took another deep breath. She'd asked Gibbs if she was allowed to tell him about the mission earlier on the phone while they were on their way to headquarters.

"I'm currently on an undercover mission for NCIS and FBI.", she said carefully. Andrew would probably not be satisfied with that answer but it was a start. He took another step closer to her, kind of too close for her liking.

"And does this mission include sucking face with a stranger?", he questioned, his tone of voice almost scaring her. But she was too angry to care about the scary part.

How dare he speak about Freddie like this? "He's not a stranger and we were not 'sucking face'!", she nearly shouted. "Oh really? Could have fooled me.", Andrew retorted.

"I know Freddie from Israel and yes, we are supposed to act like a couple on this mission.", she told him, her voice still very loud. He grinned at her but it wasn't real.

It was full of sarcasm and it was a very evil grin. "So, you were sucking face.", he stated and she nearly lost it there. She had to try really hard to not punch him right in the face.

"We were kissing. Part of our job.", she replied through gritted teeth. "And you didn't even think about..you know, calling me to let me know you were enjoying your summer break with another guy?", Andrew asked sarcastically.

She threw her hands in the air, completely giving up on him in that moment. It was pointless. He would never get it. He would never get her.

"Look, Andrew. I'm sorry you had to see that but I didn't have a choice. They told me not to tell anyone. So I didn't because these are called orders for a reason.", she said.

He took another step closer to her but she took one step back because she really hated how close he was getting. It wasn't really comfortable anymore. But suddenly his eyes softened and he took a step back himself.

He lowered his gaze, apparently not able to look her in the eyes anymore. "I'm sorry, Ali. I shouldn't have freaked out like that. I completely overreacted.", he apologized softly.

Ali took a deep breath and then reached out to grab his hand, squeezing it. "Look at me.", she whispered and he did as he was told. "It's not the first time this happened, Andrew. It happens way too often. It's like you don't trust me.", she told him gently.

He nodded in understanding. "I know and I'm so so sorry. I love you, Ali, I really do.", he murmured, looking deep into her eyes. She looked to the side and let go of his hand.

She ran her hand over her face and then silently said: "I can't do this anymore." He reached out to touch her hand but she pulled it away. "What are you talking about, Ali?", he asked carefully, his voice breaking.

She carefully looked into his eyes again and it broke her heart to see the hurt in them. "I'm sorry, Andrew.", she whispered. "No", he breathed, "please no."

She took another deep breath before saying: "I'm really sorry but I don't think I can do this anymore. I'm not able to..love you anymore."

She saw tears building in his eyes and before she could react he had closed the distance between them and captured her lips in a desperate kiss. She didn't kiss back but didn't really push him away either.

Eventually he pulled back and stared into her eyes. "Don't you..", he started but she cut him off before he could finish his question: "No, Andrew. I don't feel anything anymore."

"I'm sorry", she added when she saw the fallen look on his face. They stood there in silence for a while. "It's him, isn't it?", he eventually asked. She was caught off guard by his question.

"Who?", she asked confused. "The guy you're working with. Freddie, isn't it?", he explained. She bowed her head and didn't dare look at him. "It's okay, Ali. I get it. It's not your fault.", Andrew whispered.

She looked up at him again. "I'm..", she started but he told her with his eyes to stop. He didn't want her to apologize.

"I just want you to be happy, Ali. I love you. And if you ever change your mind, I'll be right there waiting for you. Maybe one day you'll see that we belong together.", he told her gently, touching her hand.

She smiled slightly. "Thank you", she whispered and stood on her tip toes to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. He smiled at her and then let go of her hand.

"Take care", he said softly and she nodded. Then he walked out of the room, leaving her behind. Leaving their entire relationship behind.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading :) Pleaseeee leave a review on your way out and tell me what you think! :) It'd mean a lot! :)  
Sooo, next chapter...what would you prefer? Some Tiva or some Ali/Freddie? :D Or maybe both? ;)  
Also, any suggestions on a shipper name for Ali/Freddie? :P It'd love to hear some ideas ;)  
Love y'all x3  
~ C.  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Hey there :) Sooo, I know I said this would be up sooner but yeahhh..it's been two days so I guess that's still okay ;) Please enjoy reading! :)  
**

* * *

Ziva arrived in Abby's lab only to find Tony and Abby both staring at the computer screen. She walked closer, neither of them noticing her presence. She glanced over Tony's shoulder to see what they were looking at.

It was a video of the conference room, obviously live. Andrew was just leaning in to kiss Ali. "You're not seriously watching them, are you?", she demanded. Tony and Abby quickly spun around.

"Ziva, we weren't..we were just..", Abby stammered but Ziva held up her hand, not really needing an explanation. "Just turn it off, okay? This is none of our business.", she stated and Abby nodded, pressing a couple keys to cut off the live stream.

"Sorry", Tony murmured, "I just wanted to make sure that she was okay.." Ziva shot him a smile: "I know." He smiled back and they were basically in their own little world, not even remembering that Abby was in the room with them until she cleared her throat.

They both looked at Abby with an apologetic look. It really wasn't the first time this had happened. Tony excused himself and Ziva and they quickly made their way out of the lab and into the elevator.

Once it started moving Tony flipped the emergency switch and the elevator came to a stop. He took a step closer to Ziva, their toes already touching. She didn't even waste a second and immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, claiming his lips in a kiss that was long overdue.

They hadn't really gotten a moment of privacy the entire day (and night for that matter because Gibbs had made them stay) and she had literally been aching to be in his arms, to kiss him.

His arms immediately found their way around her waist, pulling her closer to her, kissing her back almost desperately. When they pulled back they were both breathing heavily.

She rested her forehead on his and looked into his eyes, their lips almost touching again. "I missed you", she whispered. He chuckled: "I was down in Abby's lab for like ten minutes."

But she shook her head, her eyes dead serious. "You know what I mean, Tony.", she said quietly. He nodded and turned serious again. "I miss you every second we're not together, Zi. You know that.", he murmured, his breath tickling her skin and sending shivers down her spine.

She gave him a quick peck on the lips, then pulled back a little more. "I'm worried about Ali.", she stated, leaning back against the elevator wall. Tony took a step forward, coming to stand in front of her.

He didn't really need to ask anything else. He knew that she'd talk when she was ready. It was what she always did and he'd come to know her better than himself in some aspects.

It was kind of terrifying at times but also incredible because now he was sure what it felt like to have a soul mate. Eventually Ziva started to talk: "She reminds me too much of myself. I don't want her to make the same mistakes I made."

"Hey, your father can't hurt her anymore so she won't..", he started but she cut him off: "That's not what I'm talking about." He was confused now. What was she talking about?

If it wasn't about their shared family history..then what the hell was this about? He didn't dare ask though but instead waited for her to tell him when she was ready.

"Sure, we share the same family history and we've both been through..a lot. But that's not what I'm talking about here.", she stated. Tony had to swallow hard when she mentioned the part of having been through a lot.

Ziva had been through hell and back but he didn't know as much about Ali's past. What if it had been similar to what Ziva had had to go through? He didn't really want to think about it.

"What is it, Ziva? You know you can tell me anything.", he said carefully and she nodded, giving him a warm but sad smile. "Does it have to do with Freddie and Andrew?", he tried.

Ziva sighed but then decided that she had to get this out. She had to tell him because she knew he'd understand. At least she hoped he would.

She took a deep breath and then started to tell Ali's story: "Freddie and Ali have known each other for quite some time. They met in Israel and they were best friends..and maybe more. But then Freddie had to leave and shortly after Ali came to the US as well. She always pretended to be over Freddie and then she met Andrew and they started dating. But now that Freddie is back..she's not sure anymore. In fact, she's upstairs right now, trying to break up with Andrew instead of really making it right because of what he saw on the video."

Tony didn't say anything. It was clear that Ziva wasn't done yet. "I just don't want her to make the same mistake I made.", she repeated her words from minutes ago.

He took another step towards her, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze. "What mistake?", he whispered. She looked to the side and let go of his hand.

Then she spoke: "You love one person but you can't tell them because you're scared of the consequences. You don't wanna risk the friendship or whatever. Fact is, you can't bring yourself to tell them. Then some other person comes along and since you can't have the one you really want..you give it a try. You start a serious relationship with someone but your heart belongs to someone else. You're so desperate that you start to commit fully to that relationship based on a lie. A lie to yourself. But you can't help it. At least you have someone by your side, something permanent. Maybe you don't realize what you're doing until it's too late. The one you really want is not available anymore, so you have to move on. You throw everything you have into that relationship and you think that maybe, just maybe you'll eventually love that person but deep down you know that your heart still belongs to another. It's ridiculous and it's a vicious circle, really. I just don't want that to happen to Ali."

She was breathing heavily by now and Tony just stood there, too shocked to react in any way. When he finally found his voice again he silently asked:"Because that happened to you?"

She nodded her head, still not looking at him. "Wow. And here I thought you actually loved me.", he said, a sarcastic laugh escaping his throat. She spun around quickly at that, her eyes meeting his.

"What?!", she cried. "You commit fully to this relationship because you can't have the one you actually lo..", he started but was cut off by her lips on his. She pressed her body flush against his, her arms finding their way around his neck.

He couldn't really help it when his arms found their way around her waist out of reflex. But eventually his mind screamed at him to stop and discuss this first. He pulled away and they were both breathing heavily.

He tried to get a little distance between them but she clung to him like he was her lifeline. "Tony..", she started but he cut her off: "No, Ziva, I don't wanna hear it okay?! First you tell me this and then you just kiss me to...what? Make me forget?"

She stared at him, tears pooling in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "Are you kidding me?", she hissed. His eyes were hard and he simply stared right into hers.

"Tony, you're not the fake relationship. You're the person I have been in love with for years. The person I couldn't have.", she whispered and suddenly understanding dawned on him. His own eyes started to water as he struggled to find words.

Before he was able to say anything she continued: "I have been in love with you for years, Tony. Years! But I couldn't have you. I was too scared to tell you and I was afraid of what it might do to our friendship. I couldn't risk that. Then Ray came along and I..he was just a friend at first but then I saw you with EJ and I realized that my chance was gone and I was just so..desperately..in need of something..permanent. I looked right past his faults and told myself that this was my only chance of happiness. I didn't realize what I was doing until he proposed and we found out about..you know. From that moment on I knew that it was so wrong. I couldn't commit to a person when my heart already belonged to..you. I couldn't, Tony. So, I settled with being content. It was enough for me to see you at work everyday, seeing you smile across the bullpen, a few touches here and there."

She trailed off. "And then Ali came along.", Tony finished for her, his voice raw with emotion. Ziva nodded. "God, Ziva. If only you'd told me sooner. You have no idea what that proposal did to me!", he exclaimed, then added in a whisper: "You had me at hello."

She couldn't help the sob that escaped her throat when he said that. He pulled her to his chest and rubbed her back softly. When she calmed down – and he did, too – he pressed his lips to hers in a slow and sweet kiss.

When they pulled apart they smiled at each other. "It won't happen to Ali. I'll make sure of that.", Tony promised and she smiled even brighter, making his heart swell.

"I love you.", Ziva said. A grin spread across Tony's face as he replied: "And I love you, Ziva."

* * *

**A/N: As always, thank you for reading :) Please leave a review on your way out, telling me what you think :) The next chapter will feature Ali and Freddie. (any shipper names? :D) I'll post it asap :)  
I'll totally reply to all of your lovely reviews on the weekend! I have an exam coming up on Thursday but yeahh, afterwards I'll totally reply to all of them! :)  
Love y'all!  
~ C.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Oh God! I'm so so sorry for the delay...again! :( This past week has been..incredibly weird and not really as I planned it to go. Not at all. Anyway..I'll try to update more regulary from now on again. ;)  
Enjoy reading!  
**

* * *

After Andrew had left the room Ali had sat down on a chair, trying to comprehend what had just happened. He hadn't been mad in the slightest and he had actually known that it was..Freddie.

But he was still willing to wait for her. That was a lot to take in and Ali wasn't so sure what to make of it. Eventually the door opened and Freddie stepped in. "Are you alright?", he questioned carefully.

She stood up and walked over to him. "I'm fine", she said and even managed to force herself to smile. "No, you're not.", Freddie stated, his voice laced with emotions Ali couldn't deal with right now.

Just as she was about to argue he went on: "You just broke up with your boyfriend and probably even fought with him. You can't expect me to believe that you're fine!" Ali sighed.

She knew he was right but she hated to admit it. She hated to admit that she was not fine. She'd always hated that. And of course Freddie would know. He could read her like an open book.

It was incredible and sometimes scary how well he knew her. She took a step towards him and rested her hand on his chest, right above his heart. "You're right. I'm not fine.", she admitted quietly.

"What did he say? Did he hurt you in any way? Because I swear if he did I'm gonna..", Freddie started but she cut him off by laughing. "No, he didn't hurt me. Relax.", she told him. He nodded and waited for her to continue.

And so she did: "I told him that it was undercover work but he said that it wasn't an apology for – and I quote – 'sucking face' with another guy. I guess he was just mad that I allowed some random guy – in his eyes – to get that close to me when I was always so distant with him."

She trailed off when she realized what she'd just said. He'd definitely ask questions now. Questions she'd rather discuss at the house or something – or rather not at all.

She could already see the confusion in his eyes. "He was your boyfriend. Why were you so..distant?", Freddie asked. Ali closed her eyes for a moment and dropped her hand from his chest.

When she opened her eyes again she wasn't able to look up at him but instead stared at the ground. "It wasn't just him. I..had – or rather have – problems with being close to..men. In General.", she admitted so quietly that she wasn't sure if he'd actually heard her.

But apparently he did because he wordlessly pulled her to his chest, his strong arms wrapping around her, offering her all the comfort she needed. "I'm so sorry", he whispered in her ear, repeating the words over and over again.

Ali couldn't really stop the tears from falling and really she couldn't care less. This was Freddie after all. With him she felt safe and she was able to let all her walls down.

When her crying ceased she pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. "You have nothing to be sorry for.", she told him, her finger lightly touching his cheek.

"Something happened in Israel, didn't it?! After I left.", he assumed and she nodded carefully. "Then it is my fault.", he declared. "No! No, it's not your fault, Freddie! There's nothing you could have done about it!", she exclaimed.

"I shouldn't have left. Whatever happened, it's all my fault.", he stated again. She looked deep into his eyes, trying to tell him that it wasn't his fault, that he shouldn't blame himself.

"Listen, it's not your fault okay?! You need to stop blaming yourself.", she whispered. He didn't say anything but instead just stared into her eyes. Eventually he nodded.

"So, what did Andrew have to say besides that point about 'sucking face'?", Freddie asked after a moment, trying to ease the tension. His eyes were sparkling mischievously and Ali had to chuckle at his poor imitation of Andrew's voice at the "sucking face" part.

Only then did she suddenly realize that his arms were still firmly wrapped around her waist, their bodies close and faces only inches apart. This was not good. She needed to get some distance between them.

Otherwise she couldn't really guarantee for anything and take responsibility for her actions. Ever so slowly she pulled away and took a step back. Thankfully, Freddie got the message and let go of her.

"Well, Andrew also said that he'd wait for me and that maybe one day I'd realize we belong together.", Ali explained. Freddie raised an eyebrow and smirked. "He really said that?!", he asked in disbelieve, chuckling.

Ali nodded but had to laugh as well. It was like in the movies, really. Nobody would actually say that in real life. Only Andrew had and it was hilarious. "Did he say anything else?", Freddie asked when they'd both calmed down.

Ali looked at him, cocking her head to the side. Had he been listening through the door? She decided it was pointless to pretend Andrew hadn't said anything because it was obvious that Freddie had heard.

She took a deep breath and then quietly admitted: "He accused me of having an affair with you." She wasn't able to look into his eyes at that moment but if she had she'd have seen the pure shock in his eyes.

"With me?", he asked, needing to hear the clarification. Ali nodded, then carefully looked up into his eyes. "He saw us at the car. It was only natural that he'd assume that kind of thing.", she tried to explain.

Freddie's thoughts were racing. He wanted so much to tell Ali that he'd meant it. That he'd kissed her for a reason that went far beyond keeping up their cover. That he _loved_ her.

But he knew that right now that probably wasn't a good idea. And who was he kidding anyway? Never in a thousand years would she return those feelings.

Sure, she'd said that she didn't love her boyfriend but that didn't automatically mean that she loved him instead. Why would she? He'd left her. They hadn't seen each other in nearly four years.

Yes, he loved her, still loved her, always had. But he couldn't tell her that. At least not right now. "Freddie? Is everything alright?", Ali suddenly asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yeah, I was just thinking.", he replied, smiling at her. "About what?", she wanted to know. He sighed before quietly saying: "It doesn't matter." She took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently.

"It matters to me.", she whispered, making his heart melt. He couldn't tell her. No way. "Is it about what Andrew said? Don't take him too seriously. He was being ridiculous. I wouldn't ever have an affair with you.", she tried to assure him.

She meant that having an affair with him would never be enough because he meant too much to her but he misunderstood it completely. For him it was like she'd just confirmed that she'd never even consider kissing him if it wasn't for the mission.

He pulled his hand away, not able to have any physical contact with her at that moment. "Totally unrealistic.", he said bitterly through clenched teeth. With that he walked out of the room.

Ali stared after him. What the hell had just happened? She'd meant to tell him what she felt for him but he..didn't get it. Or maybe he didn't want to understand it the way she meant it?

She sat down on one of the chairs and buried her face in her hands, trying to take deep breathes to control her emotions. She only hoped she'd one day be able to tell him exactly how she felt without getting rejected and without having to talk in circles.

But right now that day seemed far far off in the future. Unreachable.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Since it has been ages since I last updated, pleaseeee leave me a review in case you're still reading. It wouldn't make sense to write for only 3-5 people. I don't mind anonymous reviews, just please let me know if you're still reading and what you think :)  
Suggestions are always welcome as well :) Thanks in advance!  
I'll try to update tomorrow or at the beginning of next week. :)  
Love y'all  
~ C.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm so so sorry! I didn't mean to leave y'all hanging again :( Life got in the way, literally lol :D Sorry about that. I'll try to update more often from now on though. Easter break should bring some time for me to write ;) Anyway, enjoy reading! :)**

* * *

"Ali?", Ziva questioned softly as she entered the room, closing the door behind her. She spotted her niece on a chair, her hands covering her face and her body shaking – probably from crying.

She quickly walked over to her and knelt in front of her, her hands gently rubbing her knees. "Hey, Ali, look at me okay?", she tried. Slowly Ali lifted her hands and looked at Ziva.

Her eyes weren't red in the slightest. She had not been crying. But she clearly looked upset. "Will you tell me what happened, sweetie?", Ziva asked softly.

Ali took a shaking breath and then started: "Freddie, he..he misunderstood me and I..he.." It was hard to find the right words to describe what had just happened.

She didn't even understand it herself so how was she supposed to explain it to someone else? Ziva got the message: it wasn't about Andrew and she didn't wanna talk about that.

Andrew was in the past now, it didn't seem to matter. This was about Freddie and apparently it wasn't all that good. "Sweetie, what exactly did he misunderstand?", she asked. Ali took another deep breath, calming down.

"Well, I told him that Andrew accused me of having an affair with Freddie. And he was really shocked at first. But then suddenly he was so quiet and I asked him what was wrong but he said it didn't matter.", Ali started to explain, her voice not shaking anymore.

"What happened then?", Ziva questioned, squeezing her knees. "I told him that it did matter. That it mattered to me. But he still didn't say a thing, so I asked if it was about what Andrew said. And I tried to assure him that it was pointless to be upset about that because I'd never have an affair with him..", Ali told her and suddenly it dawned on Ziva.

"He assumed you'd never want a relationship with him when in reality you just don't want an affair with him, but a serious relationship.", she concluded. Ali nodded.

Ziva didn't know what else to say. There wasn't really much to say. It was a typical situation. Something that would have totally happened to her and Tony just a year ago.

It was ridiculous and she hated that her niece had to go through something like this now. Freddie and Ali reminded her so much of Tony and herself. Too blind to see that they're both head over heels in love with each other.

Too scared to admit their feelings. Too scared to make the first move. Using an undercover operation to have at least a few days. Misunderstanding signs and being blinded by jealousy.

She wanted to help Ali but she knew she couldn't. This was their thing to fix, there was nothing she could do about it. "Ali, you need to talk to him.", she quietly said.

"I know. But I have no idea what to say. He won't believe me anyway. He's convinced that I..", Ali started but Ziva cut her off: "Ali, this just proves that he loves you, too. He wouldn't have reacted that way if he didn't love you. He's just hurt because he thinks that you don't love him back."

Ali looked down, and Ziva continued: "You need to talk to him. Like, right now. This needs to be fixed." But Ali shook her head. "I can't do this now. I can't tell him how I feel. I'm not ready for this.", she admitted.

Ziva's eyes widened in surprise. When was Ali not ready to tell someone something? She was always the first person to voice her opinion. Sure, this was different but it still surprised her.

"I'm gonna fix it, so we can still be friends. That's the most important thing right now. We can work on this..relationship later. I can't do this right now. I need to be ready if I tell him.", Ali said.

Ziva nodded in understanding. "You do what you feel is the right thing. I'll be here if you need me.", she promised. Ali smiled at her, grateful that her aunt was there for her when she needed her most.

She got up from the chair and walked over to the door. "I need to fix this. Now.", she declared. "It's gonna be alright.", Ziva assured her, standing up as well.

Just when Ali was about to walk through the door she stopped in the door frame. "How's the mission going anyway? Are we doing good?", she asked over her shoulder.

"Yeah, it's going pretty good I think. The director wants to talk to you tonight, I'm not sure what's it about though. It's probably just a small thing.", Ziva said and Ali nodded with a smile, then left the room.

Little did they know that what was to come was definitely not a small thing.

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**A/N: dundundundun! :D hahah sorry cliffy lol :D And I actually gotta tell you that the cliffhanger probably won't be addressed in the next chapter but more like in the one after. I'm not sure yet though :D  
This is actually the shortest chapter in this story yet and this story is actually the longest one I've written so far :D Just a random fact I noticed :D  
Pleaseee leave a review and tell me what you think! :) I'm also definitely open for any suggestions or constructive criticism! :))  
Looking forward to hearing from you :)  
Love y'all  
~ C.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hi there! Happy belated Easter :) I'm so sorry that I didn't update earlier but I wasn't home and therefore didn't have a computer. :/ anyway, here's the new chapter with a TWIST ;D Enjoy reading :)**

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Ali was curled up on the couch, her shoulder touching Freddie's since she was leaning against him. His hand was absently running through her hair, sending shivers down her spine.

She was happy that they'd sorted things out. Well, technically nothing was really sorted out. At least not the way she wanted it to be. They restored their friendship, yes.

And they were able to keep up their cover again, yes. But she still hadn't talked to him about her real feelings. The problem was that she was just not ready to tell him. What if he rejected her?

However, talking things out had been difficult enough. It would have been wrong to pour out her heart to him. But then again, he'd been close to say something himself. Was it what she wanted to hear or not? She couldn't really be sure.

* * *

"_Freddie?", Ali questioned softly as she entered the men's bathroom. She locked the door behind her to make sure they were alone. Then she walked over to the sink where Freddie was leaning. _

_His head was hanging down, so she couldn't see the expression on his face. However, telling from his whole position, his body language, she assumed he'd been crying. At least a little. _

_"What do you want, Ali?", he asked, his tone rather harsh, making her flinch. Carefully she reached out to touch his arm. "Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..", she tried but he cut her off: "Don't, Ali. Just don't! You don't even know what this is about. You don't know a thing!" _

_His voice was rising with every word he said and he was now facing her. She could see little tear streaks on his cheeks and she had to fight the urge to reach out and wipe them away. _

_"I..I'm sorry, Freddie, I really am. I didn't mean to say that.", she whispered. "Stop it, okay?! Just stop it! I can't do this, Ali.", he said under his breath. She bit her lip to keep from crying. _

_She would not break down in front of him. This was neither the place nor the time. This was about fixing their friendship..and possibly more. "Freddie, please, I didn't mean to say it. I'm sorry.", she tried again, her voice already slightly strained with tears. _

_"You don't even know what you're apologizing for. You don't have any idea what this is about!", he shouted, making her flinch. She ducked her head and took a step back, trying to fight her tears. _

_"You have no idea what this is about, Ali, none at all! It's not something you can just apologize for without even knowing what the hell you're apologizing for!", he went on. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. _

_Finally she found the courage to look up again. "I do know what this is about, Freddie. And that's why I'm apologizing. I didn't mean to cause you so much pain. It wasn't meant that way.", she said, her voice barely above a whisper._

_ He stared into her eyes, trying to figure out the meaning behind her words. "You can't know.", he breathed but she just continued to stare right back at him. "Freddie, please. Forgive me. I didn't mean to cause this misunderstanding.", she pleaded, taking a step towards him. _

_He took one of her hands in his. "Ali, I..", he started and her heart started to pick up its pace. But before he could finish there was a knock on the door. "Excuse me, I would like to use the bathroom.", someone shouted from the other side of the door. _

_Freddie begged her with his eyes to stay, to let him finish but she just couldn't. As much as she'd wanted to hear the words, she couldn't right now. She wasn't ready and she needed to listen to her heart on this one. _

_She let go of his hand and walked over to the door, unlocking and opening it. She didn't even care that the man outside stared at her as if she was an alien or something when she stepped out of the men's bathroom, instead she just held the door open and waited for Freddie to emerge. _

_"We good?", she asked as he walked through the door and he nodded with a smile. However, she could tell that there was more to it. He was content. But not happy._

* * *

"Hey, you okay?", Freddie questioned softly, his fingers momentarily stilling in her hair. "Yeah, I was just thinking.", she replied and turned her head to smile up at him.

"Ali, about earlier, I..", Freddie started but suddenly the phone rang. Man, those constant interruptions were seriously getting on his nerves. Was the universe really that against him?

He just really needed to tell her. "Hold on.", Ali said and gave him an apologetic smile. She got up from the couch and he immediately missed having her next to him, being able to touch her.

He watched as she walked over to the phone and picked up. "Hello?", she said as she answered the phone. "Yes, Director Vance, what can I do for you?", she went on.

Freddie watched her intently, trying to read the expression on her face. "You can't be serious!", she then exclaimed, her eyes immediately scanning the room until she found Freddie's.

He gave her a questioning look and for a second he saw fear in her eyes. However, she quickly put up her mask again and he was unable to tell what she was really thinking or feeling.

"No, of course, Director. I understand.", Ali then went on, "yes, Director. An order is an order." She looked at Freddie again and then said into the phone: "Please keep us updated. We will be in touch tomorrow morning."

With that she hung up. "What is it, Ali?", Freddie asked, slightly concerned. She walked over to him and sat down next to him. She turned so she was able to face him.

"They say we need Plan B to get the suspects to really notice us and buy our act.", she started to explain. He nodded, letting her know he understood. "The Director wants us to..he..", she tried but couldn't really form the words.

Freddie saw her struggle and reached out to touch her shoulder. She leaned into his touch, really needing the comfort he was offering right now. She patted his hand on her shoulder and gave him a sad smile.

"Ali, tell me what's wrong. Please. You're starting to scare me.", he pleaded. She took a deep breath and then quietly said: "Director Vance wants us to pretend to sleep together."

* * *

**A/N: dundundundun... :D Okay, so there's the twist :P what do you think will happen next? ;) Let me know! :)  
Please leave a review on your way out! That'd make me very very happy :) Thanks in advance!  
Next chapter might be up tonight...I'm not promising though, just trying :D  
Love y'all  
~ C.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I'm so so so so so so [...] sorry for the delay! :O It's been what? One month? :O I'M SO SORRY! I didn't mean to leave you hanging like that :( I just really didn't find time to write plus this chapter was really hard to write (and the next will be too, however I will get them up sooner! PROMISE!)  
Okay, so I hope you're still with this story haha ;) Please enjoy reading :)  
**

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The room was awfully quiet and Ali could literally hear his and her hard breathing. Eventually Freddie cleared his throat and let his hand fall from her shoulder to take her hand in his.

"Ali, it's just..pretending. No big deal. We'll manage, don't worry.", he told her quietly. She looked away and tried to blink back the tears. She needed to be strong right now.

If he saw her tears he'd just..know. And she couldn't let that happen. Ali turned back around and looked into his eyes. "You're right. I was just overreacting because I thought it would be, you know, awkward. But you're right, it's nothing.", she replied, trying not only to convince him but herself as well.

Freddie smiled at her, obviously – and thankfully – buying her story. They sat there for a few moments, neither really sure what to do next. "Um, Vance said we need to put the ear pieces in.", she eventually broke the silence and he nodded.

"They're in the nightstand though.", she continued and again all he did was nod. "Are you even listening to me?", she questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, I'm totally listening to you. The ear pieces are in the nightstand.", he said, clearly just brought back to reality from far far away.

"So, how do we put them in?", she asked, somewhat amused by his behavior. "Well, once we're in the, uh, bedroom, we'll just, you know, get them and then put them in as part of the, um, act.", he stammered.

Ali raised an eyebrow. "Well, I could put in your eye when brushing your hair out of your face? It's small after all.", he answered her unspoken question. She smirked but nodded.

Then they were quiet again. Well, how the hell did one start something like _this_? Ali took a deep breath and then leaned in to brush her lips against Freddie's.

It was a soft kiss at first and Freddie didn't respond at first, obviously surprised by her action. However, after a couple seconds he started to kiss back and the kiss quickly got more passionate.

Ali could immediately feel the warmth spread through her entire body, her heart swelling and butterflies in her stomach. Kissing Freddie still felt as good as it had years ago.

She sighed into the kiss, leaning against his body completely and he pulled her closer, his strong arms going around her waist. She completely lost herself in the kiss, oblivious to her surroundings and the mission at hand.

"Just go ahead with it", Freddie murmured against her lips, bringing her back to reality. God, they were about to do this. The order Vance had given them. It all came crashing down on her and she tried so very hard to lose herself in the kiss again.

It would be so much easier if it was just her and Freddie, nothing else. She couldn't take anything else right now. As if he'd read her thoughts Freddie suddenly started kissing down her neck, causing her to sigh again.

His lips against her skin felt unbelievably good and she couldn't help but forget all about the mission all over again. However, he soon picked her up in his arms, carrying her over to the bedroom, his lips never leaving hers.

And even though she did everything in her willpower to stop her mind from leaving the kiss and going back to _that_, she wasn't able to do it. Freddie laid her down on the bed gently and then hovered above her.

He looked deep into her eyes. "You're so beautiful", he said under his breath and Ali wasn't sure if she had even been supposed to hear that. Freddie started to kiss her again and her eyes fluttered closed.

She felt his arm brush hers when he reached over to the nightstand to get the ear pieces. Then he gently threaded his fingers through her hair, his fingers pushing the small piece into her ear.

Her eyes opened again and she stared at him. She couldn't do this. She couldn't.. "Relax, Ali, it's just you and me", Freddie whispered, seeing the horror in her eyes. _No!_, Ali's mind screamed, _no, it's not and you don't know anything!_

But she just forced herself to smile up at him, brushing his hand to get the other ear piece. She leaned up to kiss his cheek and quickly pushed the ear piece into his ear, her kiss hiding the action.

"If you can hear us, kiss now.", Vance's voice immediately rang in their ears. Freddie softly kissed her on the lips, lingering there. She tried to keep her eyes closed, tried to stay focused on Freddie and blend out what they were about to do but she couldn't.

Her eyes opened again and she broke the kiss. Freddie however didn't stop and instead started kissing her neck again. She looked up to the ceiling, trying to fight back the tears yet again.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. "Come on, show a little more passion. Start undressing!", Vance ordered. Ali closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she pulled Freddie back down to her so that their eyes locked.

"Help me", she breathed, her voice not even really there but still cracking. She saw a look of confusion flash across his eyes but then she saw the concern, the understanding. "Ali..", he started but she cut him off, shaking her head 'no'.

It was a lie. But that didn't matter right now. She needed him to stay focused but still be careful and she could only reach that goal with lying to him about the real reason.

He just nodded and then grabbed her hand, leading it to the buttons of his shirt. She got the hint and started to undo the buttons before pushing the shirt off his shoulders.

Ali traced her fingers over his muscular chest and secretly admired his abs. "The pants.", Vance's voice rang in their ears again. With shaking hands Ali reached down to undo the button on his jeans and unzip it.

Freddie put a finger under her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. "It's gonna be okay, trust me.", he assured her quietly and she nodded. Vance and the others couldn't hear what they were saying thankfully.

Sure, they were wearing ear pieces but they were only one-way. Ali carefully pushed his pants down and he kicked them off. She swallowed hard, fearing the next words from Vance.

And they came: "Take off her shirt, the shorts can stay as long as your boxers do." Ali looked into Freddie's eyes shocked. Vance wanted them to go _there_?

"You don't have to go there. You can pull the covers over you. All you have to take off is Alison's shirt and her bra as well as her shorts. The rest can stay. And the bra only has to go because they need to see it fly across the room.", they heard Fornell's voice.

Ali shivered slightly and turned her head so Freddie wouldn't see her facial expression. He kissed just below her ear and whispered: "Just you and me, remember? It's okay, Ali, this won't make things awkward, I promise."

If only he knew! He didn't have a clue what this was all about! It wasn't about the awkwardness at all! _If only it was. That would be so much easier, _Ali thought. She felt Freddie's hands sneak under the hem of her shirt, gently pulling it up and over her head.

"Kiss down her neck until you reach her collarbone, maybe lower.", Vance ordered again. Freddie did as he was told. "Show more passion!", Vance barked. Ali tensed up at the tone of his voice.

And she really thought Freddie wouldn't listen to what Vance was saying. But apparently she was wrong. Freddie started to kiss her neck and collarbone more roughly, biting and nipping away.

When he reached the strap of her bra he pushed it out of the way and Vance told him to continue – in that same hard voice. And Ali lost it. She screamed and pushed Freddie away from her.

She was breathing heavily, tears flowing down her face. "STOP!", she screamed, kicking and punching in Freddie's direction. She didn't see his eyes widen, didn't hear his soothing voice, didn't hear Tony and Ziva's calming voices, didn't hear Vance shout at her and Gibbs shouting at Vance.

"Please, don't! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it. Please stop! Please don't!", she screamed, her voice chocked with tears. "ALI! It's me! Freddie.", she eventually heard a voice, somewhere far off and felt someone shaking her.

"You need to leave, they will.. Please don't hurt him! No!", she screamed desperately. "ALISON! Please! Nobody's here that will hurt you or me in any way. Please, Ali, look at me!", she heard his voice again, this time much more present.

She carefully opened her eyes and froze as she took in her surroundings. Freddie was kneeling in front of her on the bed. She was curled into a ball, her face felt wet from crying.

His eyes were wide with shock and concern and his face showed how worried he was. No! This could not be happening! "Oh God!", Ali exclaimed under her breath.

She shot up and ran to the bathroom, pulling out her ear piece on the way and slamming the door shut behind her. She sank down with her back against the door, her hands covering her face as she sobbed uncontrollably.

She had always been scared that this would happen someday but she'd never expected it to actually happen. And with people around for that matter. Only problem: It just had.

* * *

**A/N: So, as you might have noticed, things are getting kinda messy and angsty from now on. But I promise you, there's light at the end of the tunnel ;)  
Anyway, the next chapter should be up quite soon :) Already working on it :)  
Pleaseeeeeeeee leave me a review so I know that people are actually still reading this. I do accept anonymous reviews as well! :) Thanks in advance x3  
Love y'all  
~ C.**


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